


Beneath The Stars

by cellostiel



Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Fluff, Light Angst, M/M, Past Abuse, Past Child Abuse, Smut, Truth or Dare
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-22
Updated: 2017-09-22
Packaged: 2019-01-04 04:06:23
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,709
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12161196
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cellostiel/pseuds/cellostiel
Summary: "Hey," Daryl is the first to break the silence, handing the bottle over to Rick. "Wanna get a little stupid?"Rick raises a brow. "What, you wanna steal a car and go joyriding?"Daryl snorts. "Nah. Was thinkin' somethin' simpler. Truth n' dare, maybe."-Rick and Daryl get a little bit drunk





	Beneath The Stars

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first TWD fic so please be gentle lmao. Takes place in the prison in some nebulous time after Lori's death but before the Governor destroys it. (also I'm only up to season two in my rewatch and I haven't seen the rest of the show in years;;)
> 
> warnings for mentions of Daryl's abuse

They find a bottle of liquor on a run, and Daryl's the one to raise it in victory as they reenter the prison. It cheers everyone up a bit, and those who are old enough indulge in a little. There's not enough to get drunk between them, and they have to stay sharp anyhow, but it does get them a little buzzed, and the feeling's nice. 

Most of the group heads to bed early, wanting to fall asleep while the feeling's still fresh in them, and it ends up just Daryl and Rick left on the roof, swapping the bourbon between them in silence. 

"Hey," Daryl is the first to break the silence, handing the bottle over to Rick. "Wanna get a little stupid?"

Rick raises a brow. "What, you wanna steal a car and go joyriding?" 

Daryl snorts. "Nah. Was thinkin' somethin' simpler. Truth n' dare, maybe." 

It's Rick's turn to snort. "Really? That's what you wanna do with our evening?"

Daryl shrugs. "May as well. 'Sides, I wanna see what stupid shit I can get you to do." 

Rick laughs, shaking his head. "Sure," he decides, "why the hell not?"

Daryl grins, and he's got a twinkle of mischief in his eyes. "You ask first. Only fair."

"Aright," Rick says, trying to think up some good dares. Once he has one, he asks, "Truth or dare?"

"Dare." Daryl says immediately. "I ain't no pussy." 

Rick laughs. Figures. "Fine, fine. I dare you to take that damn vest off."

"What is this, strip poker? Damn, we could'a just done that." Daryl says, shrugging off the winged vest that's become so much a part of him lately. Rick laughs and shakes his head. "Alright, your turn. Truth or dare?"

"Truth." Rick says. He's not dumb. Daryl frowns for a moment, then shrugs. 

"Whatever, buzzkill. Truth, huh?" He rubs at his beard, thinking. "You ever kill anyone? Back in the old world, I mean. 'Fore things went to hell."

Rick hums, takes a swig of the bourbon. "Mostly I shot to wound, not to kill. Had one or two where they didn't make it after, though. One didn't make it to the hospital."

"Huh." Daryl accepts the bottle when Rick holds it out to him, takes a drink. "Dare."

"Hmm," Rick casts around for something to dare, settles on, "I dare you to try to hit the gate with this rock." It's less a rock and more a piece of rubble he found, but he holds it up to Daryl nonetheless. 

Daryl scoffs. "You're terrible at these, Grimes."

"Whatever. I'm just getting warmed up."

"Uh-huh, sure." Daryl grabs the rock and stands, turning towards the front gate. He just stands there for a minute, aiming, gearing up, and Rick sips at the bourbon while he waits. Finally, Daryl hurls the rock out towards the gate. It actually makes it halfway through the yard before landing with a solid  _ thud. _

Rick whistles low. Daryl huffs, plopping down and snagging the liquor and taking a long drag. 

"Could'a done better." he grumbles.

"Still." Rick laughs. "Truth."

"Man, you're  _ borin'." _ Daryl gripes. "Fuck, a truth… was Lori your first?"

"Yep," Rick says. "Not that I didn't date other women, but she was the first I slept with, yeah."

Daryl nods, says, "Dare."

"I dare you to let me give you a damn haircut."

Daryl balks. "Now what d'you wanna do that for?"

"What, you backing out?"

"Not a chance in hell." Daryl pulls out his pocket knife, hands it to Rick. Rick smiles, twirls his finger for Daryl to turn his back to him. It's slow, careful work, but he starts trimming off an inch or two of Daryl's greasy locks. 

"Truth." he says as he works. 

"You ever gonna take a dare?"

"Maybe. We'll see how drunk I get."

"Hmph. Dare."

"I dare you to make the next one truth."

"Asshole." 

Rick just smiles, evening out some strands. "Truth."

"What's your weirdest arrest?"

At that, Rick laughs. "Oh, man. One Halloween - of course it was Halloween - I had to arrest these two men for public indecency. They were, uh, taking their couple's costume a little seriously."

Daryl huffs a laugh. "Oh, that must'a been fun. Truth."

Quietly, Rick asks, "You ever think about leaving? 'Bout going it on your own?"

Daryl twists his head, careful of the knife, and peers at him. "What kinda question is that?"

Rick shrugs, and it's mostly the bourbon that makes him say, "You're the strongest of us. Could probably make it on your own, or find a better group. A stronger group."

Daryl scoffs. "Like hell. How can you even  _ ask- _ " He breaks off with a frustrated noise, gets up and starts pacing. "Like I could just leave y'all. Carol and Beth and Lil' Asskicker. You think that fuckin' little of me, Rick?"

"Not at all." Rick says. "I just… wonder, sometimes. If you'd be better off."

"Bullshit." Daryl stomps over, glares at Rick for a long few moments, then flops back down, back to Rick, and says, "Your turn. Truth. Do you wanna kick me out?"

"No." Rick says quietly, resuming his task. "Never. You're family."

Daryl is silent for a long, long while, then he says, "Truth."

Rick considers his next question carefully. "How'd you get those scars?"

"… My Da. After Merle left, he needed someone else to beat on, I guess. Didn't help he never much liked me in the first place."

Rick lets the words have their moment in time, lets their weight carry in the air for a while out of respect. Then he says, "Truth."

"You ever…" Daryl pauses, swallows. "What did you think of those two men you arrested?"

"Thought they could've gotten a room, but otherwise, to each their own, y'know? 'Sides, be a little hypocritical of me."

Daryl tries to look back at him, but Rick holds his head still. "How you mean?"

"Uh-uh. Your turn."

Daryl heaves a sigh. "Truth."

"You ever gonna stop calling my daughter 'asskicker'?"

"Sure, if she ever proves not to be. What did you mean, 'hypocritical'?"

"It means-"

"I damn well know what it means, I ain't  _ dumb. _ What'd you mean by it?"

Rick pauses, glad Daryl's eyes aren't on him. "Meant it'd be real shit of me to give some folks trouble over something I've fantasized over."

"You're gay?!" Daryl blurts, trying to whirl around.

"Hold still." Rick admonishes him, holding his head steady. "You  _ want  _ me to cut you?"

Daryl holds still, but doesn't quite settle down. "But- you and Lori-"

"Truth or dare."

Daryl makes an exasperated noise, says, "Dare."

"I dare you to hold damn still." 

"Why didn't you tell me you're fuckin' gay?"

"'Cause I ain't. Men are fine, sure, but I was with Lori. It didn't matter."

"So you're what, bi?"

"Truth or dare," Rick prods, ignoring him.

"Truth."

"You have a problem with me liking men?"

Daryl snorts. "Nah. Like you said, that'd be pretty hypocritical and shit."

Huh. "Truth."

"You ever kiss a guy?"

"Nah. Only ever dated girls. And I never kissed anyone I hadn't gone on a date with."

"Hmph. Prude. Truth."

_ "You _ ever kissed a man?"

"Nope. Sucked a couple cocks, though."

"Hm. Truth."

"How much longer this haircut gonna be?"

"Just about done. Truth or dare?"

"Truth."

Maybe it's the liquor talking, but Rick's not even that drunk when he says, "Would you punch me if I dared you to kiss me?"

Daryl stills. Rick can hear him lick his lips. "Nah."

"Truth." Rick says. 

"You'd really want somethin' like that? You do know who you're talking to, right?"

"Know exactly who I'm here with."

There's a few minutes of silence while Rick finishes up Daryl's hair, and he sets the knife down with a small  _ clack _ just before Daryl says, barely above a whisper. "Dare."

"I dare you to kiss me." 

Daryl turns around, grabs him by the neck, and kisses him. Rick kisses him back immediately, instinctively, as easy as breathing. Daryl leans into him, and Rick eases back, letting Daryl pin him to the ground. Daryl straddles him, cups his face, and kisses him like he'll disappear if he stops. 

It turns frenzied quickly, Daryl seemingly want to taste all of him at once as he kissis his lips, his cheek, his throat, bites his collarbone. All Rick can do is gasp and hold on for dear life. 

"Fuck, Daryl," he hisses, scrabbling to bring Daryl back up to his mouth. "C'mere."

Daryl obeys, coming back up to claim Rick's mouth. He ruts against Rick, and Rick can feel the hardening line of Daryl's cock against his own. 

"Been wantin' this," Daryl huffs between kisses, "been wantin'  _ you _ ." 

"Daryl-"

"Shut up." Daryl pulls back to look him in the eyes, and there's something so terribly vulnerable there. "Just need you."

Rick nods, understands, and pulls Daryl to him. It's hot, and it's messy, and they'll have some laundry to do when it's over, but it's achingly good, having Daryl's mouth on his neck and his own hand around both their cocks, and he thanks whatever's still up there for how beautiful Daryl looks when he shudders against him and comes. 

Rick rubs Daryl's back soothingly as they come down, staring up at the stars and trying to catch his breath. Daryl just lies there, breathing against his neck, one hand curled into his shirt. 

"Truth or dare." Daryl says softly. "It's your turn." Rick almost laughs, but there's something in Daryl's voice that stops him.

"Truth."

"What was this?"

Rick hums, closing his eyes. "This was me finally getting to kiss you like I've been thinkin' about for months."

"Months?"

"Truth or dare."

"… Truth."

"What was this to you?"

Daryl lifts his head, and Rick opens his eyes to meet his gaze. The looks Daryl gives him is intense, but unsure. Unsteady. Rick reaches up and strokes Daryl's cheek, and something in Daryl's expression crumbles. He crushes his lips against Rick's, desperate and needy, and Rick cups the back of his head, kisses him back sweetly. Daryl makes a noise against him, a small one that breaks Rick's heart. 

Rick holds him close, bottle of bourbon forgotten, and they kiss like that long into the night. 


End file.
